How do I fix frequent crashes after macOS updates?

akg78002 wrote:

<EtreCheck Report.log>

Report attached. Greatest appreciation for any help.

Sorry about the length of this reply but there is a lot in your Etrecheck that is worth exploring further.

“Kernel panics - This system has experienced kernel panics. This could be a sign of hardware failure.”

But kernel panics can also be caused by attached peripherals. There appear to be a number of devices (hubs, adaptors …) attached to your ports. To troubleshoot, disconnect as many as you can (this is a temporary diagnostic step) and then see if that affects the crash during sleep.

“Kernel Extensions: /Applications/MATLAB_R2025b.app [Not Loaded] sldrtkrn.kext - com.mathworks.sldrtkrn (25.1.0 - OS X 10.8)”

This looks like Mathworks’ Simulink Desktop Real-Time (SLDRT) kernel component, but I believe this is not the latest version. I believe there is a 2025b and 2026a version, both of which feature “bug fixes” and “compatibility considerations.” Not sure if this is related to what you are seeing, but this is a kernel extension and they are known for creating panics, freezes, etc. if not updated, especially as you are running the very latest version of the MacOS.

“2026-07-10 Microsoft_Defender_101.26030.0000_Individuals_Shim_Installer (101.26030.0000) – Installer”

You appear to have disabled the MacOS built in security and installed Microsoft_Defender, which has created problems reported in Apple Discussions for other users. I would suggest completely uninstalling Microsoft_Defender.

“[Loaded] com.citrix.ctxusbd.plist (Citrix Systems, Inc. - installed 2025-04-08) Executable: /Library/Application Support/Citrix Receiver/ctxusbd 

[Loaded] com.citrix.ctxworkspaceupdater.plist (Citrix Systems, Inc. - installed 2025-04-08) Executable: /Library/Application Support/Citrix Receiver/ctxworkspaceupdater”

“[Running] com.citrix.ReceiverHelper.plist (Citrix Systems, Inc. - installed 2023-01-11) Executable: /usr/local/libexec/Citrix Workspace Helper.app/Contents/MacOS/Citrix Workspace Helper 

[Running] com.citrix.ServiceRecords.plist (Citrix Systems, Inc. - installed 2023-01-11) Executable: /usr/local/libexec/ServiceRecords.app/Contents/MacOS/ServiceRecords”

“[Running] com.citrix.safariadapter.plist (Citrix Systems, Inc. - installed 2023-01-11) Executable: /Library/Application Support/Citrix Receiver/SafariAdapter.app/Contents/MacOS/SafariAdapter”

What is this citrix installation? Is it for a managed Mac, say for an employer? Is it some sort of endpoint security or external management installation? I don’t know much about it but it seems to be making external connections, if those are active even during sleep, they could be related to your sleep freezes.

“[Loaded] com.starstechnologies.updater.plist (Rational Intellectual Holdings Limited - installed 2025-04-08) Executable: /Library/PrivilegedHelperTools/com.starstechnologies.updater”

This looks to be some sort of online gaming setup, what is it? I think it also phones home and that kind of background activity during sleep can cause conflicts or freezes.

“[Running] com.brother.LOGINserver.plist (Brother Industries, LTD. - installed 2019-09-02) Executable: /Library/Printers/Brother/Utilities/Server/LOGINserver.app/Contents/MacOS/LOGINserver”

This looks like a very old installation of something for a printer that connects to a remote server. Should it be updated, old versions might be incompatible with Tahoe.

“[Loaded] org.macosforge.xquartz.startx.plist (Apple Inc. - XQuartz - installed 2016-10-26) Command: /opt/X11/libexec/launchd_startx /opt/X11/bin/startx -- /opt/X11/bin/Xquartz”

I think xquartz is an outdated tool that was used many years ago for graphics applications. I don’t know if what you have is even compatible with Tahoe.

You have multiple cloud services (Dropbox, Microsoft One Drive, Box  …) active. That should be ok but I am wondering if they might be stepping on one another in some way. These types of cloud services will often check online even during sleep.

You mentioned that Apple had your system wiped clean some time ago but after that, if you bring back all these installations and peripherals, probably you brought back the thing(s) that caused the sleep crashes. And seeing things installed as long ago as 2016 makes me wonder how they are there after a complete wipe, unless you migrated them back, which sort of defeats the purpose of the clean wipe.

With all the above, I am wondering if you should uninstall as many as you can, disconnect all peripherals, run for a while to see if no more kernel panics during sleep. If not, then bring back your items one or two at a time to see what triggers it.

An alternative is a true clean wipe (erase, reformat) followed by migrating back ONLY FILES, nothing else. Then reinstall and reconnect things one or two at a time, and test after each.

Finally, kernel panics can be a sign of failing hardware. Apple can check your hardware, it is 5-6 years old.

Maybe the best plan forward here would be to download Etrecheck (you can use the free version, although I value this tool enough to have paid for it). It is a diagnostic tool only. It shows how the Mac has been configured and what has been installed and is running in the background, but does so in an anonymous way. You download Etrecheck and run it to produce its report which you then post here

How to use the Add Text Feature When Post… - Apple Community

You can read it first to verify that there is no identifying info in there. Then scores of readers here will look for something that could be causing your symptoms.

Since millions (billions) of users have been running the MacOS uneventfully, without crashing, it seems likely that something is installed or is running in the background on your Mac that is causing your problems. Etrecheck can help find the culprit.

A big +1 on Steve's recommendation for posting an EtreCheck report. What you describe strongly suggests the presence of aftermarket software that is interfering with normal macOS function.

Beyond its protection of your information and privacy, Etrecheck often lets us resolve a issue with only one more post on your part. Otherwise, we find ourselves playing a protracted game of "20 Questions" with you that could go on for days. It lets us, your fellow end users, safely help in this text-based setting where we can neither "see" nor remotely access your computer.

Please post the entire report unedited. There are subtle hints there that may seem trivial to a new EtreCheck user, but can speak volumes to those of us who have evaluated thousands of them.

Quote possibly bad hardware, but that’s not usually the first stop.

I’d expect this is headed for a backup and re-install of current app versions of necessary apps, migrating files and settings and documents and not applications.

Prior to that…

Remove Citrix, Dropbox, and OneDrive temporarily, and update or remove XQuartz. Remote access and remote storage can sometimes be flaky, and can sometimes conflict. And old versions of apps such as XQuartz can sometimes be problematic, too. Also disconnect all external hardware except for your keyboard, mouse/trackpad, and display. Check for available LG Ultrafine firmware updates, if you’re using that display. Test again.

Recent (2023+) Office 365 includes a shim for Defender, and I’ll assume Defender is not installed here.

That the Apple anti-malware is disabled can be inferred to mean other latent issues might exist.

Try posting several of those Kernel Panic logs since the log summary in the EtreCheck seems to be missing some key details. The Kernel Panic logs are located in the "/Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports" folder and sometimes may be moved rather quickly to the "Retired" subfolder.

If you see any Kernel Panic logs in the "ProxiedDevice-Bridge" folder or its own "Retired" subfolder, then post them as well. I'm not sure if the "ProxiedDevice-Bridge" panics will be in the "Logs" folder or the "DiagnosticReports" folder.

Kernel Panic logs usually have file names containing "kernel" and/or "panic".

Post them here using the "Additional Text" icon which looks like a piece of paper on the forum editing toolbar.

Hopefully @steve626's suggestions will resolve the Kernel Panics.

FYI, the Intel iMac 20,1 designation appears to be the iMac 27" (2020) model which includes the T2 security chip.

akg78002 wrote:

If it is true I purchased faulty hardware, how can I avoid the same problem next time I make a purchase at Apple? Was there a test I could have done after I bought this while it was still in warranty? Do I just buy cheap hardware to mitigate risk from now on? I don't ever want to be in this position again. Any advice?

The implementation of the T2 security chip was just not well thought out or implemented. Some of the T2 models just had higher rates of Logic Board failures than previous models (especially the MBPro 16" 2019). I also encountered a number of bugs when authenticating with the T2 security chips on multiple Macs. Most of the Apple USB-C Intel Macs (especially the laptops) just had major design flaws along with some manufacturing defects. There was no way to know or tell. I think only the repair techs actually realized the extent of the problems because we had to deal with them, but generally only after several years of use.

2016-2020 was a dark time for Apple's computers (especially laptops).

The Apple Silicon Macs are generally much better than the Intel USB-C Macs, although I have seen reports on the Apple forums regarding the M-series iMacs having display related issues (no personal experience). Instead of an Apple Silicon iMac, a better & less expensive option is an Apple Silicon Mac Mini along with a good quality external display (the display can be used with the next computer when it is time to replace the Mini saving more money down the road).

FYI, you may need higher grade quality cables that are less than one meter in length to connect displays and external drives due to changes in macOS. Cables which are provided by device manufacturers are usually a lower quality and may not work well with Tahoe & Apple Silicon Macs even if they work fine with older versions of macOS on the same computer.

I agree with @MrHoffman. Even the GPU Restart panic is unusual....I've never seen one quite like it and I've seen a lot of them. Plus when you have different types of panics, it usually is due to a hardware issue.

Unfortunately the 2018-2020 Macs with the T2 security chip tend to be prone to these types of issues. In fact all of the 2020 iMac failures my organization has had were all due to Logic Board failures for one reason or another.

The kernel panic is going to be more interesting initially, but panics in that usually point to either very low-level software bugs, or a hardware problem. And this is increasingly looking like sick hardware.

akg78002 wrote:

Thanks Barney. That is what I tried, but there is a word limit on that as well? I'll try again in case I made a mistake.

Yes, I don't know what the limit is, but it is much larger. Most Kernel Panic logs should be Ok, but if your log is too large with the "Additional Text" as well, then copy the first part of the log until you see entries change to more of a large clumps. Usually that happens about a few "pages" or "screen fulls" into it.